Crate or box.



O. A. LANE, D. GUICE & H. P. DOHRMEIER. cam on BOX.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.27. 19H.

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O. A. LANE, D. GUIC'E & H. P. DOHRMEIER.

UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

V OSCAR A. LANE, DUKE GUICE, AND HERMAN P. DOHRMEIEB, OF GBEENVILLE,

ALABAMA.

CRATE on BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that wewQsom-A. LANE, DUKE Goren, and HERMAN P. DOHRMEIER, citizens of the United States, residing at Greenville, in the county of Butler and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crates or Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in foldable or collapsible crates or boxes.

An important object of the invention is to provide a collapsible crate or box, which may be quickly and conveniently collapsed or assembled, and the cover or lid thereof locked in the closed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a crate or box of the above mentioned character which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, strong, durable and highly convenient in use. f A further object of the invention is toprovide simple and inexpensive means to securely detachably lock the cover or lid in the closed position when the box or crate is assembled.

Other objects and advantages of the invention Will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals ai'e employed to designate like parts throughout the same, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a crate or box embodying our invention, Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the same, Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same, Fig. 5 is an edge elevation of the sides and ends collapsed, Fig. 6 is a plan view. of the sides and ends distended with the topand bottom removed, and, Fig. 7 is a fragmentary bottom plan View of one end of the coveror lid.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates sides asa whole, comprisin preferably spaced strips 11, which are pre erably vertically arranged, the same providing suitable ventilation. Preferably arranged upon the outer sides of the vertical strips 11 adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof, are preferably substantially horizontally artop or lid, formed 0 ranged reinforcing longitudinal members or bars 12, rigidly attached thereto by any suitable means.

' The numeral 13 designates ends, as a whole, comprising preferably vertical spaced strips 14 providing suitable ventilation. Arranged upon the inner sides of the strips 14 of the ends 13 are transverse horizontal re- Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

inforcing members or bars 15, attached are arranged above and adjacent the upper longitudinal reinforcing members or bars 12. The adjacent ends of the transverse and longitudinal members or bars 12 and 15 are connected by pivot elements 18, more clearly shown in Fig. 5, whereby the ends and sldes, When the topv and bottom are re- As more clearly moved, may be folded or collapsed, as shown.

The numeral 19 (see Fig. 3) designates the floor or bottom of the box or crate, the same being adapted to be removably mounted within and between the sides and ends. Thisfloor or bottom is preferably formed of longitudinal transversely spaced strips -20 afl'ording suitable ventilation, the same being connected near and spaced from the ends thereof by transverse strips 21, rigidly secured to the lower surface thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. When the floor or bottom 19 is in place, the ends thereof lie upon and are supported by transverse reinforcing members or bars 15, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The numeral 22 desi ates a removable transverse spaced strips 23, afl'ording suitable ventilation. These transverse strips 23 are secured to gether by longitudinally extending strips 24, rigidly attached to the lower or inner surface of the transverse strips 23, and adapted to be arranged inwardly of and adjacent the upper longitudinal reinforcing members or bars 12, to engage therewith and prevent improper lateral movement of the cover or lid with respect to the body portion of the box or crate. Attention is called to the fact that corresponding ends of the longitudinal strips24, project for substantial istances beyond the end of the top or lid, whereby they may readily be inserted below the ad acent upper transverse reinforcing member'or bar 15, to hold one end of the cover against upward movement with re-' spect to the body portion of the box, Means are provided to securely detachably lock the opposite end of the cover or lid in the closed position, the same preferably comprising a swinging latch-strip 25, pivoted to the upper or outer surface of the top or lid 23, as shown at 26. The short end of the pivoted latch-strip is adapted to be passed beneath the ad acent transverse reinforcing member or barl5, which ma be .readil accomplished by depressing t at end o the latch-strip and the lid or cover, the lid or cover being formed suitably flexible for that ree end of the latch-strip inwar 1y, with respect to the lid or cover. If desiredthe opposite end of the latch-strip 25 may be inserted beneath the opposite transverse'up- 'per reinforcing member or bar 15, but we latch-strip found that this is ordinarily unnecessary.

In the use of the box or crate, when the same is assembled, it may be readily collapsed, by removing the top or lid, and floor or bottom, the sides and ends then being adapted to be folded or collapsed upon each other, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5. The

top and bottom may then be placed upon these collapsed ends and sides, whereby the entire box will occupy very little space for the purpose of shipment or the like. In assembling the box for use, the sides and ends are first distended, as shown in Fi 6. The floor or bottom 19 is first placed in the operative position, with its opposite ends engaging the transverse lower reinforcing members or bars 15. This having been done, the crate or box may be filled with the dc sired material, subsequently to which the cover 22 may be placed in position, and locked the closed position by means of the 25, as hereinabove described.

It is to be understood that theform of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

ur ose, and simultaneousl swin in the P y g 3 Having thus described our invention what we claim is 1. A crate or box of the character described, comprising sides having exterior longitudinal reinforcing members, ends having interior transverse reinforcing members disposed above and below the longitudinal reinforcing members and pivotally connected thereto whereby the ends are adapted to be swung longitudinally of the sides, a floor removably mounted within and between the sides and ends and having its opposite ends engaging and supported by the lower transverse reinforcing members of the ends, a cover removably mounted .upon the upper longitudinal reinforcing members of the sides and carrying upon its lower surface longitudinally extending members ing at one end beyond the correspon mg end of the cover to be inserted beneath the ad; jacent transverse upper reinforcing member of the corresponding end, and a latch-stag pivoted to the side of the cover and adap to have one endthereof swung to a position beneath the adjacent upper transverse reinforcing member of the corresponding end.

2. A crate or box of the character described, eomprising sides having exterior longitudinal reinforcing members, ends having interior transverse reinforcing members disposed above and below the longitudinal reinforcing members and pivotally connected thereto whereby the ends are adapted to be swung longitudinally of the sides, a floor 'removably mounted within and between the sides and ends and having its 0 posite ends engaging and supported by the ower transverse reinforcing members of the ends, a cover removably mounted upon the upper longitudinal reinforcing members of the sides and carrying upon its lower surface longitudinally extending members projecting at one end beyond the corresponding end of the cover to be inserted beneath the adjacent transverse upper reinforcing member of the corresponding end, and a latch-strip pivoted to the outer side of the lid and adapted to have its opposite. ends swung to positions beneath the upper transverse reinforcing members of the ends to detachably lock the cover.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

OSCAR A. LANE. DUKE GUICE. HERMAN P. DOHBMEIER. Witnesses:

L. M. LANE, LENA SAMMONS.

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